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Africa as a continent consists of 58 nations with a population of 11 billion people (2013 Census Report), 800 different tribes, and approximately 1,000 different languages.
The total area is 30,212,000 kilometers equivalent to 305 times the size of South Korea. It is one of the areas in the world where the gospel is being spread very rapidly. In the last century, 2.7 billion Africans converted to evangelical Christianity. This is a remarkable accomplishment to be recorded in the history of Christianity.
Today, 1.5 billion Africans from the total population are considered Christians (Protestants, Catholic, the Orthodox Church, etc…). On the other hand, there are approximately 1.7 Muslims. The problem with African churches is not having enough pastors who had thorough seminary training. Because of it, there are many cult religions which combine Christianity with indigenous religions.
Therefore, the strategy of mission in Africa is to retrain the pastors with theology, and providing a thorough seminary education for upcoming new pastors. Indirect ministry of community development considering its weak economy and society is also vitally important. In other words, ministry in Africa needs both direct and indirect ministries in a parallel form.
Because 23 of the 58 countries in Africa speak French, missionaries from French speaking countries are desperately needed.
The missional vision of France Grace Church (located in 11 different locations: Missionaries Song Seok Bae & Kim Eun Young ) is a good example. The Korean churches that are scattered in Europe need to wake the sleeping churches in Europe to handle the mission in Africa together.
Africa as a continent consists of 58 nations with a population of 11 billion people (2013 Census Report), 800 different tribes, and approximately 1,000 different languages.
The total area is 30,212,000 kilometers equivalent to 305 times the size of South Korea. It is one of the areas in the world where the gospel is being spread very rapidly. In the last century, 2.7 billion Africans converted to evangelical Christianity. This is a remarkable accomplishment to be recorded in the history of Christianity.
Today, 1.5 billion Africans from the total population are considered Christians (Protestants, Catholic, the Orthodox Church, etc…). On the other hand, there are approximately 1.7 Muslims. The problem with African churches is not having enough pastors who had thorough seminary training. Because of it, there are many cult religions which combine Christianity with indigenous religions.
Therefore, the strategy of mission in Africa is to retrain the pastors with theology, and providing a thorough seminary education for upcoming new pastors. Indirect ministry of community development considering its weak economy and society is also vitally important. In other words, ministry in Africa needs both direct and indirect ministries in a parallel form.
Because 23 of the 58 countries in Africa speak French, missionaries from French speaking countries are desperately needed.
The missional vision of France Grace Church (located in 11 different locations: Missionaries Song Seok Bae & Kim Eun Young ) is a good example. The Korean churches that are scattered in Europe need to wake the sleeping churches in Europe to handle the mission in Africa together.
아프리카 대륙은 54개 국가와 약 11억 명(2014년 통계)의 인구로 이루어져 있으며, 종족으로는 800여 종족, 언어로는 약 1,000여개의 언어로 구성이 되어 있다.
전체 면적은 30,221,532 km2로, 남한의 302배에 해당하는 광활한 땅인 아프리카는 가장 급속하게 복음이 확산되고 있는 지역 중의 하나이다.
오늘날은 전체 인구 중, 약 4억8천2백만명을 크리스천(개신교, 가톨릭, 정교회 등 포함)으로 보며, 반면에 약1억7천만 명의 회교도들이 있는 것으로 보고 있다(2010년 통계).. 아프리카 교회의 문제점은, 제대로 신학교육을 받은 목회자가 거의 없어 토속 신앙과의 혼합주의로 인한 이단들이 많다는 것이다.
따라서 아프리카에서의 선교 전략은 기존의 목회자 신학 재교육, 목회자 후보생에 대한 철저한 신학 교육 및 훈련으로 볼 수 있으며, 열악한 경제 및 사회 생활의 여건을 고려한 지역 개발을 통한 간접 선교도 중요하다.
아프리카 54개국 가운데 불어를 사용하는 23개국에 유럽 불어권 국가로 부터의 선교가 절실히 필요하다.
좋은 예로, 프랑스 은혜 비네오교회(6곳: 송석배/김은영 선교사 담당)의 선교적 비전이 좋은 예이다. 유럽에 산재한 한인교회들이 유럽의 잠자는 교회들을 깨워서 함께 아프리카 선교를 감당함이 절실히 필요하다.
GKC 아프리카 선교권역에는 2020년 11월 현재, 6개국에 30명의 선교사가 사역 중이다.